


I Have Been So Good This Year, All I Want Is One Thing

by Cefhclwords



Series: Ficmas 2019 [8]
Category: Men's Football RPF
Genre: Blood and Injury, Christmas, Christmas AU, Christmas Tree, Christmas Tree Farmer, Christmas tree farm, Injury, M/M, Minor Injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-19
Updated: 2019-12-19
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:06:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21859537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cefhclwords/pseuds/Cefhclwords
Summary: Day 8 of the 12 Days of FicmasBased on the prompt: “You were so nice helping me carry my Christmas tree out to the car until I accidentally whacked you with the tree trunk and now we’re at the hospital”
Relationships: Dele Alli/Eric Dier
Series: Ficmas 2019 [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1568377
Comments: 16
Kudos: 58





	I Have Been So Good This Year, All I Want Is One Thing

**Author's Note:**

> day eight LADIES SHES WORKING THROUGH IT OK hi babies I hope you're doing so well and that the holidays are treating you right <3 keep warm or cool depending on where you live and take care of yourselves please!!! Enjoy this one! it's something a lil different again, a nice AU that includes a trip to the hospital and a handsome lumberjack Eric!! comments would mean a lot since im unsure about this one and would love to know what you think!! Kudos is like a getting a lil hug so drop some if you enjoy it!! <3

All Dele wanted was a nice Christmas tree. A nice real Christmas tree that filled his small apartment with the scent of fresh pine and that he could wrap up in Christmas lights and decorate with his roommate. All he wanted was a nice Christmas tree and now he was sat in the emergency waiting room with a stranger's blood dried in a patch on his shirt.

It should have taken half an hour at most, really. His sister Molly had come to the same Christmas tree farm just last week and raved about it. She said the prices were good, the trees were beautiful and that the family that owned it were so helpful and quick, even with her little one with her it took her less than an hour to have bundled up with a tree on top of her car ready to go. 

Dele loved Christmas, he really did, the Christmas carols, the snow, the delicious food, the time with family- it was something he looked forward to each year. 

This year was different, however, it was his first Christmas with a place of his own to decorate (not counting his dorms at uni). Now that he was graduated and interning at an advertising agency, he’d been able to move into a small apartment near the city with his best mate Sonny. And as much as Dele loved and looked forward to the holiday season, this December hadn’t really felt like Christmas at all. 

It was the fifteenth and he still didn’t feel any of the usual holiday spirit. The only Christmassy thing he’d managed to squeeze in between long hours at work, and sleeping, was his office Christmas party and Kris Kringle. 

While Dele liked a lot of the people he worked with, he was still so new and the Christmas party had felt a bit awkward if anything- he didn’t have a boyfriend or girlfriend to bring along, so he found himself most of the night talking to Anne from their accounting department. Not that that was the worst thing, after a few cups eggnog and maybe a sly tequila shot that she had talked Dele into, Anne was a proper laugh and sweet. She was middle-aged, mum of two and Dele had underestimated her clearly because a few of the stories she told him almost had him blushing. 

Regardless, Dele had decided to get into the Christmas spirit properly and that he should start with a Christmas tree and decorating his home. Maybe he’d even go to see some Christmas lights or go with his mum to one of those markets they held in the city that had mulled wine next week. He wasn’t going to let Christmas just pass by, so with his newfound determination and holiday spirit and a thick winter coat, Dele set off for the Christmas tree farm after work on Friday evening. 

Thankfully, he’d gotten out an hour early since he’d gotten through all of his assigned work for the day and his supervisor was a kind man who just told Dele to enjoy his weekend and head off. The Christmas tree farm was open till eight pm Friday and Saturday night, so he wasn’t in a rush, But Dele was happy nonetheless to have had the headstart and get in before the nightly rush. 

The farm was beautiful, for a property less than an hour outside of the city it was a massive plot of land, a nice looking home with a large white painted sign that said “Christmas trees for sale” visible by large lights wrapped around the picket the sign was nailed into. Dele followed the painted arrow on the sign further down the driveway, able to see the glow of strung up lights in the distance. 

The lights were hung over a selection of pre-cut and netted trees, a few families milling through them, kids running around shouting and laughing as they fought over which tree was best.

Over to the left, there was a wooden table with a sign stuck to the front of it, that looked similar to the one at the top of the drive that said ‘Dier’s Christmas Tree farm, with an older man sat at the table, taking payments and chatting with some of the other customers. Two women that seemed closer to Dele’s age were helping families to pick their trees out and negotiating prices, Christmas carols playing from an outdoor speaker in the background. 

It was cosy and sweet, and the kind of holiday cheer Dele had been desperate to find and he’d seemingly stepped right into the perfect place for it. His eyes scanned the rows of precut trees as he reached into his pocket for his gloves and tugged them on over his freezing fingers quickly. 

A small spark of disappointment simmered in his stomach, he had wanted to pick out his own tree to cut down, the whole classic Christmas experience, but maybe that was just something they did during the day time and he had missed out on the chance. 

As Dele went to explore the options of trees, one of the young women approached him with a warm smile. She was pretty, blue eyes and long caramel coloured hair and a bright smile. “Hi, happy Christmas” she beamed, and Dele felt his own smile grow bright. “Happy Christmas” he nodded, bounced up on his toes to try warm his body from the frosty chill in the air. 

“I’m Frannie, Were you looking for a pre-cut tree or wanting to pick out your own and cut it down?” She asked kindly and Dele’s brows rose at the offer. 

“I’m Dele, and yeah, yeah I’d love to cut one down if you’re still doing that? I wasn’t sure since its dark and all” Dele shrugged, excitement buzzing in his stomach at the turn of events. 

“No we definitely do still offer it, we have floodlights down on the tree plots, Eric just took a family down a while ago, he should be back up in a few minutes, he can take you down and help you get your tree” She smiled warmly, with a nod.

“Oh, great, thank you- you guys have such a great set up here I love it” Dele beamed

“Yeah, it’s pretty cool huh? My dad retired a couple of years ago and kind of had a midlife crisis” she laughed kindly. “he said he wanted to find a bigger plot of land to live on than our old place- originally he was thinking a proper working farm, you know cows and chicken and the like, but we saw this place for sale online came to check it out and kind of fell in love with it, we all did I guess” She laughed again and looked over to a pair of kids running around a blond-haired young woman who had the same strong face shape and pretty blue eyes. 

“So it’s all family-run then?” Dele asked, heart warm at the idea, sounded like something right out of a hallmark film. 

“Yeah, there’s six of us, but only Eric lives out here, does landscaping work in a lot of the nearby places, helps dad maintain and grow the trees through the year, but around December all of us come back home with our partners and little ones and the like to help sell them” she explained. 

“I’m sorry, I’m babbling away aren’t I- would you like a hot drink? Tea, coffee, hot chocolate while you wait?” Frannie asked brow furrowed slightly. 

Dele smiled warmly and shook his head, “don’t be silly, I asked and it’s so cool a Christmas tree farm? That’s straight out of a movie” He said, meant every word of it, her excitement was sweet. “And no, thank you, I’m ok right now I think” Dele answered and she nodded, “no worries, just let me know if you need something, otherwise once Eric comes up I’ll send him your way and he can take you down to pick out a tree” she smiled once more before she turned and headed off to where the other woman, who he assumed was her sister, was, the little kids running up to her. 

Dele bought his hands up to his mouth and huffed a breath into his gloves as he walked over to look at the pre-cut trees while he waited. He tugged his phone out of his pocket and took a quick snapchat of himself in front of a tree and sent it to Sonny with the caption “tree mission well in progress, don’t you worry, Christmas is on its way”. 

It only took his roommate a few moments to reply, simply sending a Christmas tree and shocked face emoji followed up with at least fifteen of the pink hearts with gold sparkles on them. 

Dele just laughed and shook his head and sent back multiple kissy face emoji’s before he locked his screen and shoved his phone back into his pocket. He took a deep breath in, the scent of fresh pin filled his nose, the air was cold but he could help himself and took another deep breath to chase the smell. 

The smell of christmas trees held only happy memories for Dele, it was why he didn't even consider getting a fake tree this year for his own place. When he was adopted by the Hickfords, the first christmas with them had been like no other he’d experienced before. Most of all he’d been blown away by the real tree they had set up in the living room. He could still, so clearly remember the smell of pine that had filled the whole home, and having the air saturated with it now made his heart feel light. 

The sound of a rumbling motor made Dele turn around, his eyes locking on four wheel ATV, or more specifically on the man driving it. Dele was sure his mouth maybe dropped open a bit in a gasp, because jesus christ. Even from a distance Dele was kind of blown away, because this lumberjack rugged looking man just had something about him that had Dele’s knees weak. Maybe he just was a bit lonely, he thought with a shake of his head at his own sudden infatuation, but Dele really was a bit awestruck by him. 

Dele’s breath caught in his throat as he watched the broad shouldered man park and climb off the ATV. His eyes followed the strong lines of his body as he picked up the six foot christmas tree that was strapped to the back of the vehicle with ease and carried it over to the table for the family to settle their payment. Dele swallowed thickly god he wasn’t just dreamy looking, he was strong Dele thought, exhaled through his nose as the man reached behind him to stretch out his arms.

Even through the bulky material of the flannel shirt and black jacket he was wearing, the bulge of muscle was evident. He looked like he belonged on a hot lumberjack calendar Dele noted to himself, forced his eyes away from the man and back to the trees and lights. 

When Dele’s gaze inevitably fell to the handsome stranger once more, he noticed Frankie was now talking with him. The handsome man was fiddling with his beanie, tugging at the fabric to adjust it around his ears as Dele was too caught in in admiring how big his hands looked to realise the pair was approaching him. It was only when they were close enough for Dele to see a few tufts of soft blond hair under the beanie that he realised they were getting closer. Fuck. 

Dele pulled his eyes away from the man quickly, and instead looked at the tree in front of him, tried to conjure up a facial expression that sold him being focused on the details of the tree and not being stupidly star struck over a handsome boy. 

“Dele” Frannies voice was sweet and kind as she called out to him and he turned, smiled and kept his eyes firmly on Fran, tried to ignore the gorgeous man standing right next to her. 

“Hey” Dele answered, and he was playing it casual right? Totally casual, wasn’t staring at this man, just looking for a Christmas tree nothing else nothing untoward- he wasn’t having any dirty thoughts about this man picking him up and throwing him over his shoulder none at all. 

“This is Eric” oh fuck, Dele thought, of course, of course this rugged man of his fucking dreams, Disney prince looking man was Eric. Eric, the man taking him to get his christmas tree just had to be the best looking person ever in history because clearly the world had it out for him. 

“Hey”  
Eric‘s voice was deep and pretty, had the same lilt to it that Fran’s did, the accent not fully English but it was hard to figure out what the difference actually was. 

“Hi” Dele managed to force out after a second, his eyes finally snapped across to Eric, and heat was quick to bloom in his chest. He was even more gorgeous up close, he was a lovely mix of rugged and soft. Had neatly kept facial hair trimmed close to the sharp line of his jaw, cheeks a deep red from the cold air around them, eyes a cool blue that shone even in the low lighting, head covered by a black beanie with a few blond bits of hair peeking out the side.

Dele bit on his tongue as he smiled, forced himself to look back to Fran when his and Eric’s eyes met for a brief flicker, something sparking in the low of his gut. 

“Dele here was wanting to cut down his own tree, I let him know you’d take him” Fran smiled and turned to her brother and placed a hand on his arm. “You can swap with Pat after this one” she noted to him before he turned to Dele, waved and then made her way off to another group that had just arrived. 

“Hi” Dele said when they were alone again, feeling stupid when he saw the small smirk on Eric’s lips, they’d just said hello already and he was an idiot that wanted desperately to disappear into the ground forever. 

“Hey” Eric repeated back, his smile friendly before he let out a laugh. “Come on then Dele, let's find you a tree yeah?” He spoke, turned on his heel and began to walk back towards where the ATV was parked. Dele let out a low breath and felt relief at no longer being caught in Eric’s gaze, gladly taking the reprieve as he followed after the man. Dele couldn’t help but admire the line of Eric’s shoulders, the width of him under his black winter coat, the long line of his legs as he walked. 

Dele managed to keep up, thankfully, and it only took a few moments to reach the ATV. “So uh, for the kids and the families we usually get them to sit in the back, but you can probably fit in behind me on the seat if you’d like? It’s less of a bumpy ride” Eric laughed kindly and sat down on the seat of the ATV. It had no back to it so Dele could see how he could easily slot in behind Eric. Maybe he’d just lie down and let Eric run him over, seemed less painful then having to sit close to him and be completely casual about it. 

“Yeah, cool thanks” Dele nodded, played it off like his heart wasn’t playing the beat of The Little Drummer Boy in his chest. 

Dele held his breath as he slotted in behind Eric, placed his hands in fists against his own thighs. 

“Alright, it’s just a couple minute drive down to the plot” Eric’s voice was muffled under the sound of him starting up the ATV and Dele just nodded despite Eric not being able to see him. The vehicle jolted forward somewhat suddenly and Dele’s hand flew to grab onto Eric’s side as they pressed forward. “Sorry Sorry” Dele mumbled as he dropped his hand away, squeezed his thighs tighter to the sides of the ATV to steady him, no longer needing to hold onto Eric now that it was moving smoothly. 

Eric turned his head to the side and just smiled slightly, called a “no worries” over his shoulder, which did nothing to quell the heavy blush over his cheeks. Thankfully the ride was short and as soon as the bike was parked Dele clambered off, half in embarrassment and half because of the sprawling rows of Christmas trees in front of him. 

Without thinking he walked up to the closest tree and reach out to touch some of the branches, a fond smile on his lips. The trees were gorgeous, tall, plump and full of springy green pine needles. Dele took a step further into the patch and drew a deep breath through his nose, the smell of fresh pine and Christmas filled his senses. His smile grew and he reached out to another tree, forgot for a moment that he wasn’t alone. 

“Beautiful aren’t they?” Eric’s voice came from behind them and Dele spun around with a small flush. “Yeah, yeah they are the smell is incredible- most Christmas-y I’ve felt all month” Dele smiled and watched Eric walk closer to him, hand-saw now in his grip. 

“It’s pretty spectacular huh? It’s something even I’m still not used to, how good it smells” Eric spoke, his breath a cloud of white in the cold air. 

Dele gathered his hands in front of himself, gloved fingers lacing together. “Fran told me you live here with your parents? Work the property- it must be pretty cool seeing the trees all fully grown in December” he said, eyes meeting Eric’s once more. 

Eric seemed to glow at that, nodded and adjusted his jacket around himself, shoved one hand in his pocket. “Yeah, it’s rewarding that’s for sure, I love seeing all the happy families go home with trees and the little kids get so excited seeing real Christmas trees, it’s like they think they didn’t exist you know? It’s really cute” Eric said and Dele smiled, his heart-melting a bit maybe a lot because Eric loved kids too- of course.

Together they walked along the lines of planted trees, thankfully well lit from the floodlights as Dele looked out over them, trying to spot the perfect one. The heat of Eric beside him was distracting and he fought to keep his eyes off him. 

When they were halfway through the plot, Dele turned his gaze to Eric as they walked, watched his feet pressing into the mix of soil and snow “anyone take the little trees?” He asked and his eyes drew over some knee height trees to his left, “Or do they just keep growing and you sell them next year?” Dele said. 

“Some people do yeah, a few people in smaller places or for their rooms- some offices and stuff, it’s less common but we usually sell them once they are fully grown” Eric explained with a smile and Dele hummed, nodded and spotted a tree in the distance that looked good. 

They made their way over to the tree eventually and Dele walked right up to it, ran his fingers over the bristles and looked up at it. It was the perfect stereotypical Christmas tree shape, full but not too big and nice and tall, a good head above Dele. He could see it already, tucked in the corner by the window of his and Sonny’s place- covered in a mishmash of decorations with their messily wrapped gifts sitting underneath. 

“This the one?” Eric asked and Dele nodded quickly, turned his head and smiled. “That’s the one” he agreed, and turned back to look at the tree- maybe he should take a photo to ensure Sonny liked it too, but then again, he was pretty sure he would be excited about any tree he bought home. Dele debated pulling his phone out to take a photo for Sonny, when he felt a warmth behind him, ears voice suddenly right by his ear.

“Yeah, this one is beautiful, good pick” Dele had to hold back a shiver, Eric’s body not quite pressed to him, but close enough to feel his body heat, and honestly that was kind of worse, the tease of it. Dele had to fight to stop himself from leaning back into him, pretty sure the man probably had a very beautiful partner that lived on this gorgeous Christmas tree farm with him that wouldn’t be too happy about that. Not to mention Eric was still a practical stranger. 

“Now,” Eric was still close, words just lingering behind his ear, goosebumps rose done Deles spine. “If you keep your hand here” Eric reached over Dele’s shoulder and wrapped his gloved hand around the base of the tree, a few centimetres above where Deles was limply holding to a few pines, grip gone slack. 

“And hold tight and I’ll cut it at the base, if you support it, I can carry it back up to the ATV” Eric spoke softly and Dele found himself nodding. He wrapped his hand around the tree below Eric’s and caught himself for a second, staring at how big Eric’s hand looked wrapped around the tree compared to his. He didn’t think any further about it, not at all, he had no thoughts about it- none, his mind was blank. 

Dele licked his lips before he spoke “yeah, yeah, of course, I- I yeah I can do that” he stumbled over the words and cursed himself internally for how dumb he sounded. 

“Great” Eric spoke before he pulled away, the heat of him leaving with a cold rush of air hitting him instead. Dele let out a heavy breath and watched as Eric walked around to the other side of the tree and got down on his knees. 

“Ready?” He asked and looked up and him and Dele nodded with a smile that probably looked forced because the sight of Eric looking up at him like that was- was nothing he was thinking about Christmas and Christmas trees and candy canes and - nothing about Eric on his knees like that. 

Eric gave him a quick thumbs-up before he looked back down to the base of the tree, placed the saw against it and began the tugging and pushing the movement to cut into the base of it. 

Dele adjusted his grip and made sure he had the tree tight in his hands as he watched the movement of Eric’s shoulders, how his body moved strongly with each pull. 

After a few moments, Dele felt the tree get heavier in his grip, already tilting towards Dele. 

“Alright, she will fall in a minute Dele, make sure you have a good hold yeah?” Eric called up 

“Yeah, I’ve got it” Dele answered and after a few second the tree fell into his hold and he kept it up easily. Eric stood and reached up to tug his beanie off his head, light beads of sweat across his forehead from the effort of cutting the tree. 

Dele honest to god could have dropped the tree, but his grip quickly tightened as he eyed the gorgeous head of blond scruffy hair that he had revealed. Dele was sure he wasn’t crying, like ninety-nine per cent sure, but also he might be because who actually dropped the worlds most gorgeous boy right here in this Christmas tree farm. Had he known he was hiding here all this time Dele would have come by sooner. 

“Great, you’re a natural delboy” Eric beamed and the playful nickname had Dele’s knees weak.

“I didn’t really do much” Dele mumbled with a flush, handed the tree to Eric who placed both hands on the trunk of the tree and knelt down, lifted it in one swift motion and placed it on his shoulder. “You did more than enough” he smiled, before he turned slowly, keeping the tree balanced. Dele could have sworn Eric’s eyes flickered down his body before he looked away, he wasn’t imagining that right? 

That was something right? Like that was something surely, he wasn’t just reading into it- Eric was kind of maybe flirting with him? The way he was stood behind Dele like that, practically whispering in his ear- that wasn’t the way he treated all his clients surely? 

Holy shit, Dele thought distantly, as he looked back over to Eric, kind of stuck where he was standing staring at Eric walking the tree with ease back to the ATV. It took Dele a moment and maybe a tiny bit of drool before he snapped out of it and followed after him. He watched as Eric bent down and carefully slid the tree off his shoulder and placed it carefully in the small wagon attached to the back of the ATV, turned back to Dele as he dusted off his hands. 

Dele’s mouth was maybe a little dry from that whole, display, and he kind of had the image of Eric muscling the tree around probably burn into his mind forever. 

“Alright, let’s go up to get your payment sorted and get this strapped up to your car yeah? Then I have my dinner break” Eric smiled with a raise of his brows and god somehow he was more handsome with his hair visible, made his face softer somehow, more boyish. 

Dele managed to pull his eyes away after a moment and walked up to the ATV, waited until Eric was sat across the seat before he climbed on behind him, making sure his thighs were holding tight to the sides this time as Eric started the engine with a twist of the keys.

After dropping by the table to pay, Eric again slung the tree up onto his shoulder to carry it up to the car. 

“Alright, lead the way” Eric beamed, with a nod and Dele smiled back, pointed up ahead “The black one, just up here, between the red and blue car” Dele noted and Eric nodded. Dele slowed his pace to walk in time with Eric, trying his best to not stare. He could, if anything, try at least be subtle with the huge big fac crush he had on Eric the handsome Christmas tree farmer.

“You said it’s your dinner break after this?” Dele asked, and wow maybe be couldn’t be subtle because now he was staring at the line of Eric’s jaw again. 

“Yeah, been on since two, so I’m starving, my brother will do the tree cutting for a bit while I’ll eat and then I’ll finish up” Eric explained and Dee nodded, wondered if it would be too forward to ask if he wanted to maybe have dinner with him at the Thai place down the street and also maybe marry him and have his children. They could start with dinner. 

Then again, Dele was only really going off one tiny moment, a few seconds where Eric has pressed close and maybe he really was like that with all his clients, And Dele would just make a massive fool of himself by asking him out. Maybe he had a pretty brunette waiting inside for him, having cooked him dinner. He was sure that was the case. 

Dele blinked away the thought as they came up to his car, clapped his gloved hands as he turned to face Eric. “Okay, how can I help?” He asked as the man placed the tree to rest on its base, holding it at the top standing it upright. 

“Well, get your bungie ties out of the car and I’ll lift the base if you can grip the head of it” Dele honestly wanted to cry, a boy this pretty and he was really going to torture Dele with saying things like that. What had Dele done to deserve this? 

“And then just lift it up on the count of three and we can get it up on your roof” Dele nodded and dug out his car key, unlocked it with a click of the key and leant into the backseat to collect the ties. 

“Ok, hold onto those for the moment, we will get it up first” Dele nodded, ignored the wording and tucked the ties away in his pocket, shut his car door and walked over to Eric. 

“Alright, m’ready” Dele nodded and Eric caught his eye with a soft smile, before he knelt down and collected the base of the tree in his hands. 

“Okay, stand on the other side of me and grab the top and then I’ll stand on three so we are holding it flat and then we can lift it up and onto the roof alright?” Eric confirmed, and Dele replied with a soft “yeah” kind of distracted by the skin of Eric’s neck that was revealed with the way he was bent down, tugging the collar of his jacket away from his body. 

“Alright one, two-” 

Dele caught himself, realising he was staring at Eric again and in a panic pulled up on the tree worrying he’d missed Eric’s count of three. Clearly, he hadn’t because Eric let out a loud grunt before the tree was dropped and he stood up with his hand pressed over his nose. 

“Fuck I’m sorry I’m so sorry” Dele babbled out in worry, dropped the tree and stepped closer to Eric, he lifted his hands away slightly and a gush of blood spilt out over his gloved hands, crimson red obvious even on the dark fabric. 

“Fuck, Eric I’m so sorry, hang on” Dele gushed, tugged his jacket off and then the grey jumper he had on underneath, handed it to Eric who gathered it in his hands and pressed it firmly to his nose. 

“S’ok, s’ok” Eric muttered, voice muffled, but he staggered slightly and Dele reached out and wrapped his arm around Eric’s bicep. 

“You need to sit down, hang on” Dele mumbled and turned to open his car door, guided eric to sit in his back seat, facing out of the car, the jumper pressed firmly over his nose and mouth. 

Eric started to tilt his head back and Dele shook his head rapidly, reached for Eric’s cheek and tugged him forward. “No, no, lean over, if your nose is bleeding this is the best way to stop it” Dele suggested, using his limited knowledge from school sports injuries. Eric nodded and leant forward, Dele’s stomach twisted up sharply with guilt. 

“Might need something else” Eric muttered and Dele looked as Eric pulled the jumper away slightly and the front of it was drenched bright red. Fuck fuck fuck, that was a lot of blood. Dele quickly darted to his boot and flung it open, rummaged around till he found a folded beach towel that he’d left in there since the summer, but he was thankful for it now. 

Dele rushed back to Eric, knelt down by him and held up and end section of the towel “here, use this” he said and Eric was quick to drop the jumper, gathered the towel into his hands. 

Dele took in a sharp breath, his head spun at the sight of the blood on his jumper, but he blinked against it, steeled his resolved and focused on Eric. 

“Can I have a look? Sorry Eric, I just wanna check how bad it is” Dele asked softly and Eric’s eyes flickered up to Dele’s. 

“Okay’ He agreed after a moment, sounding nervous. Dele’s hand reached for Eric’s cheek, held it gently as Eric pulled the towel away slowly. Dele bit hard into his bottom lip, stomach tight as he looked over Eric’s face. 

The blood seemed to be pouring steadily from Eric’s nose, which thank god didn't seem to be at a weird angle or bent or anything, which in Dele’s limited knowledge hopefully meant he hadn’t broken this cute boys nose. 

The blood was gushing out so it was hard to see any other damage made, but Dele could make out a nasty-looking gash along the bottom of his chin too, that was also steadily bleeding, Jesus christ Dele was officially the worst person ever in the world. 

“Ok, ok, put the towel back” Dele spoke softly, and moved his hand over Eric’s on the towel and guided it back over on his face. 

“I think I cut your chin, and your nose doesn’t look broken so that’s good, but there is a lot of blood- I-I think maybe we should go to the emergency room, just to be sure” Dele spoke, tried to hide the shake in his voice. 

Eric paused for a moment, looked up to Dele again, his blue eyes teary, his hand curling tight around his own knee. Eric pulled the towel back from his face once more, a few patch covered in blood, some still pouring from his face. 

Eric pressed the towel back to his face, looked up at Dele again and nodded, “yeah” he agreed. 

“Okay, okay” Dele nodded, reached up and helped Eric move his face across to a fresh part of the towel, not caring that he got some blood on his sleeves.

“Do you need me to tell anyone? Should I tell your sister?” Dele asked and Eric nodded, blinked quickly. “Tell Frannie, tell her m’ok, she can take me- if you need to get home, you don’t have to-” Dele shook his head. 

“No- no, it’s the least I can do, I did this, they are working I, one moment ok, I’m going to get Fran, stay still” Dele spoke quickly before he stood and walked out from by his car to back at the selection of pre-cut trees. Thankfully Fran was already walking up toward them, looking with a frown at the tree lying in the middle of the ground. 

“Hey Dele, you go ok? I don’t know where Eric got to but he should have helped get the tree onto your car” she spoke and Dele shook his head. 

“No, no we had an incident- we were lifting the tree and Eric, his face got cut up” Dele explained and Fran quickened her pace, half running up to dele. 

“What? Is he ok?” Dele guided Fran over to her brother, and she was quick to kneel down by him, a hand resting on the back of his head. 

“What happened Eric?” she asked voice heavy with concern, and Dele stood to the left, hands tangled in front of him with guilt and worry heavy in his gut. He was so fucking stupid, had hurt this man that had been so kind and helpful all because he got distracted by him. 

“I counted wrong for lifting, I fucked up” Eric mumbled, moved his face again to a fresh part of the towel, the previous part already soaked through. Dele’s heart twisted at Eric taking the blame when in truth it was entirely Dele’s fault. 

“Okay, okay we should get you to emergency- I, Stefi just left to do some shopping, I’m watching the kids maybe- maybe mum is back or,” 

Dele stepped in, twisted his fingers tight “I can, I can take him- its no worry, Its really my fault, its the least I can do, please let me, I’ll bring him back here right after and make sure he calls you once he’s all sorted” Dele spoke nervously, knowing that the last person Fran probably wanted to trust with her brother was the stranger who had caused this accident in the first place. 

“I’ll, I’ll give you my number and I’ll leave my card with you- so you know I’ll come back and pay or the tree- I, I’m so sorry again for this” Dele moved nervously to scoop up his jacket off the ground and dug into the pocket for his wallet, pulled out his credit card and handed it to Fran with a shaking hand. 

Fran accepted the card in her hand and looked back to Eric, a look of worry on her face, she looked torn at the decision and it only made Dele feel worse. 

“Its ok Fran, you stay and help dad, Dele can take me” Eric spoke, pulled the towel away and lifted another clean section of it to his face. God he was still gushing blood and Dele felt sick. The sight of the wound seemed to put urgency into Fran and she nodded and stood, pulled out her phone. 

“Okay, okay- you take him- tell me your number ok? And tell Eric to call me as soon as he can ok?” Fran spoke, huffed and brushed her hair from her face. Dele rattled off his number to Fran, who noted it down in her phone quickly and turned to look behind herself, spotting someone Dele couldn’t see and waving them down. 

“Okay, you go” Fran nodded, walked back to Eric and kissed the top of his head. 

“I’ll be ok Fran, just looks bad” he mumbled and Fran smiled softly at her brother before she spun and called out “Pat, come help me with this tree ok? Eric hurt himself”, her words trailed off as she walked away from them. 

Dele turned to Eric and grabbed his bloody jumper off the ground, threw it into his backseat before he crouched in front of Eric again. 

“Okay, let’s get you in the front seat yeah?” Dele asked and Eric nodded, moved to stand but swayed a little, blinked heavily. Dele’s hands came to support Eric under his arms, held firm until Eric steadied himself. “Slowly” Dele smiled and Eric mumbled a “yeah” and they carefully got Eric sat in the front seat, buckled in before Dele climbed into the driver’s side. 

They made good time, thankfully the closest hospital only a thirty-minute drive, maybe only twenty because maybe Dele was speeding a little bit with the nerve racing through him. They were one stoplight away from the hospital when Eric’s hand reached out and rested on Dele’s knee. The touch startled him and his eyes flicker across to Eric, heart still in his throat. 

He’d been casting small glances across to Eric the whole drive, tiny looks to make sure he hadn’t like, gone and died on him but tried to not make a show of it, sure Eric was furious with him for doing this to him. 

“S’ok” Eric’s voice was still muffled under the towel where it hung down over his face. “I promise, stop worrying” his voice was kind and Dele’s knuckles loosened their white tight grip on the wheel, a breath rushed out hard from his lips and he nodded. 

“Okay, m’just really sorry” he mumbled and Eric’s hand squeezed Dele’s knee with a soft “Don’t worry please” the touch sent a thrill through the low of his gut. 

“Okay” Dele nodded and the light went green, he pushed his foot down and turned onto the street the hospital was on.

The emergency waiting room was chaos, two crying babies that seemed to be having a competition of who could scream louder, layered over the sound of various people chattering loudly. That was mixed with someone moaning in pain and a man that seemed to be very close to vomiting every few moments. 

Dele’s heart tightened in his chest as his eyes darted around the room. He’d never taken anyone to the emergency room before. He had been to the emergency room a handful of times in his life, with his brother, his mum (the time he’d cut his lip open when he was fifteen, one other time when they suspected he’d had a concussion) but never as the one in charge, never as the one that had to be strong and not scared and in control.

The noise alone was overwhelming, the rushes of the nurses across the room, people fussing and in crowds around plastic waiting room chairs. Dele curled his hands into tight fists by his side and huffed out a steady breath. He drew his eyes along the bustling room, and finally settled on a front desk with two nurses sat down, and he turned quickly to lock eyes on Eric, who looked pale in the white fluorescent lights, his hands gripping the bloody towel to his face as nervous eyes darted around the room. 

“Come on, let’s get you sorted yeah?” Dele forced a small smile in his lips and started toward the desk in the back of the room, paused when he felt fingers wrap around his own, gripping loosely. Dele looked down with surprise in his eyes as he noted Eric’s fingers curled loosely around his own, clinging just so. 

Dele twisted his fingers slightly to catch Eric’s better before he led him through the crowds of people until he finally got them to the desk, able to see the tired but kind smile on the young blond nurses face. 

The got a short run down from the nurse about them having a ten to twenty-minute wait and were given a two-page form on a clipboard to complete while they waited. The nurse took Eric’s name and a few details, which is when Dele learnt that his last name was Dier, he was six foot three, and that arrhythmias ran in his family. 

They find a seat in a corner near the front of the room, and their hands are still tangled as they sit, Dele didn’t realise until he went to take the pen from where it was clipped under the latch of the clipboard, but his fingers were still caught up in Eric’s. 

Eric seemed to notice his dilemma and Dele flushed as Eric quickly relaxed his fingers, dropped his hand back to his lap. Dele opened his mouth to say something- he didn't even know what, but a loud beep emitted from above them, before a crackling announcement, that had four nurses rushing down the hall, sounded out and the words fell stagnant on his tongue. 

Dele looked down the bright white paper of the hospital checklist and noticed for the first time that night that he had some of Eric’s blood dried near his wrist and at the bottom of his shirt. He blinked wetly and ignored the wave of guilt that rolled thickly through his stomach and pulled on his ribs. Dele drew in a long breath through his nose, the scent of hand sanitiser, floor cleaner and plastic, heavy and unfamiliar. 

“Okay, this one is a hard one” Dele tried to tease, “but going to need full name, date of birth, phone number, weight, height and your current address please” Dele asked, pen to paper to start filling it out as Eric spoke. He gave Dele a soft laugh for his attempt at lightening the mood at least. They made it through the pages fairly quickly, Eric paused a few times to adjust the towel or how he was sat in the chair. 

Once they finished the form and Dele had dropped it off to the staff at the nurse’s station, Dele remembered they should probably let Fran know they were there ok, and asked Eric for his phone who happily unlocked it and handed it to him without question. 

Once a short message to Fran was sent, and Eric was tucking his phone away in his pocket, Eric’s name was called out by a nurse and Dele’s head whipped around to spot a shorter red-headed nurse holding a clipboard and looking around the crowded room. 

Dele stood quickly and automatically reached for Eric’s hand once more, walked them over to the hallway where the nurse was stood waiting for them. “This is Eric” Dele confirmed with a nod, uncertainty rattling around in his chest as he looked to the nurse. 

“Okay great, come with me and lets get you sorted out Mr Dier okay?” She smiled and Dele eyed Eric, unsure if he wanted Dele to stay with him, who just nodded and proceeded after the nurse with his hand still holding to Dele’s. 

Dele wanted to pass out with relief when the nurse said it didn’t require stitches. It took some time for her to clean the blood away, thankfully the gushing had stopped and it was mainly half-dried caked up blood that she wiped clean. Once the skin was clean, Dele was relieved to see that there was no cut to Eric’s nose, that the blood had only been coming from his nose itself from the knock. 

The cut on his chin looked deep and Dele worried at the nurse looked at it closely while he gently wiped over it with the white gauze held between a pair of blue plastic tweezers. She had leant back with a smile once the wound was clean and no longer bleeding and said with a smile as she peeled off her gloves “consider yourself lucky, no stitches today Eric, and no break to the nose” Eric had smiled at the news and the knot in Dele’s stomach unwound slightly. 

She had explained then that she would still need to dress the wound and tape it together to ensure it healed quickly with minimal scarring. Once Eric’s chin was dressed with small rectangular sections of what looked like tape layered horizontally across the thin layer of gauze that lay across the wound, the nurse ran them through the details of caring for the wound. 

Eric would have to visit his local medical centre to have it redressed in four days, and needed to keep an eye out for signs of concussion for the next twenty-hour hours. Even though the nurse explained she believe it unlikely to happen, Dele still took the A4 sheet of paper that she handed them that listed the symptoms and folded it carefully and tucked it into the notes section of his wallet.

It was almost two hours after they entered the emergency room when they were back in Dele’s car, Eric in the passenger seat with his phone pressed to his ear, diligently answering the flurry of questions Dele was sure Fran was asking. 

Dele had said sorry about fifteen times on the way out the car, maybe more considering the way Eric had told him that he’d only be upset with Dele If he didn’t stop apologising. Even so, he still felt an awful twist of guilt in his gut as he looked across to Eric, the dressing on his chin, the packet of pain medication and ice pack ready to be activated by cracking it for when he needed it. 

Christ. Dele was the actual worst person and was sure the hundred dollar tip for the tree he’d planned to give Eric as an apology wasn’t near enough. Dele bit hard into his bottom lip and gazed out the window to watch the few flakes of snow shimmering down from the sky. 

What a Christmas indeed- the one he’d always remember as the Christmas he almost killed the cutest man he’d ever seen. Not a story to tell the grandkids as the man that he wanted to have grandkids with was the one that Dele had almost killed, stopping any chance of it ever being more than a fruitless crush. Maybe he was being dramatic but he had just spent an unexpected two hours in the emergency room, so he felt he had the right to have a bit of a dramatic sulk. 

As Dele wondered if it was possible to be banned from a Christmas tree farm, a hand landed on his knee and startled him, made him jump slightly before he turned to face Eric.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you” Eric smiled softly and Dele felt his stomach flip, somehow he was still gorgeous even with his chin covered in gauze. God, why couldn’t Dele haven’t played it cool and just asked him to dinner instead of letting himself get so distracted he pushed an entire Christmas tree into the cute boys face?

Dele just shook his head and waved his hand “I’m- I’m sorry, I can’t, I’m so sorry Eric I know I’ve said it so many times but I feel awful, there must be something I can do, I could see if I have a friend that can come help your family out to cover your work- I. I feel terrible” Dele rambled and wow he really hadn’t made any progress on the playing it cool thing had he. 

Eric laughed softly, which turned into a small wince, Dele’s heart twisted painfully at the look of discomfort on his face. 

“Del, please leave it- it’s fine, you bought me here, stayed with me and that’s more than enough, I’m sure most people would just make sure I wasn’t going to sue them before they got out of there as quick as possible” Eric explained and Dele shook his head, looked down to his hands resting in his lap. 

“I just did the right thing” he breathed in reply. 

“There has to be something” Dele mumbled, pushed his thumb against the back of his hand over and over. 

“Okay, there is one thing” Eric spoke after a moment and Dele’s head snapped up lightning-quick, eyes locked on Eric’s in the low light of the card with wide eyes.

“What is it?” He asked, voice something desperate as he scanned Eric’s face, his fingers curled around each other uselessly gripping to each other. 

A small smile tucked itself into the corner of Eric’s mouth and he shrugged before he spoke, pretty blue eyes hid away from Dele’s as he looked out the window, the faint sound of sirens ringing in the distance, slowly getting louder as they approached the hospital. 

“You could keep me company on concussion watch” Eric spoke finally just as dele was about to ask him what again. 

The words lodged something into Deles throat and his lips parted in slight shock, his fingers squeezed tight to themselves once more as he ran the words through his head over and over. 

“I thought we could watch some Christmas movies together maybe- make sure I haven’t messed up my brain, but mean, you’re probably busy right? I’m sure your girlfriend is waiting for you to get home with your tree, and you’ve already wasted your night at the emergency room with me- I, forget it, if you drive me home, what’s more than enough” Eric’s voice petered off into the silence of the car, and Dele flushed as he looked over to Eric. 

Oh. 

Oh, maybe Eric had actually been flirting when he stood behind Dele at the tree, when he called him Delboy-maybe he thought Dele was cute too? God, this was more surprising than Dele ramming a tree by accident into Eric’s face. 

Dele laughed and shook his head, ran his hand through his hair with a scratch and turned to face Eric. “I’d love to be concussion watch with you” Dele confirmed with a grin and Eric let out a little sigh, a full smile formed on his lips.

He winced again, pressed his fingers ever so gently over the gauze on his chin, reached for the ice pack and twisted it to make it activate and turn cold before he pressed it over his nose. 

“Cool” Eric replied, a smile on his lips the happiness in his expression evident even under the cover of the ice pack. 

“Cool” Dele replied, bit into his bottom lip to fight his smile. 

“Are you sure?” Dele couldn’t help but ask as he moved to buckle his belt. “Do you ask out every boy that sends you to the Emergency room?” Dele asked, his laugh nervous.

Eric hummed, shrugged his shoulders before he put his ice pack down to buckle his seatbelt, lifted it back to his face he turned to Dele who had begun to drive out of the parking spot. “Not many cute boys tend to cut my face open when they first meet me” Eric shot back and Dele laughed. 

“But of the few that have, you are the only one I’ve ever asked out after” Eric added and Dele squirmed in his seat, a flush on his cheeks. 

“A charming boy aren’t you?” Dele mumbled, tried to play off the joy that had parked fiercely in his gut. It was hard to believe that Eric was still talking to him after what happened, let alone told Dele he thought he was cute, and wanted to take him in a date. Dele wasn’t sure he’d ever had a more mentally exhausting day in his entire life. 

* * *

The story doesn't get old, not really, even when Dele asks if Eric really insists on telling it again every time the question of how they met comes up. Whether it be customers at the Christmas tree farm, Dele’s co-workers, family members, people they meet when out, their friends- everyone gets to hear Eric tell the story of Dele busting his face open because Eric distracted him with his good looks. 

Dele hates how he tells it, makes Dele out to be some love-struck idiot who was too distracted by him to hear the count of three- of how Dele couldn't stop saying sorry afterwards. He hates that stupid smirk Eric gets on his lips as he talks about Dele gripping his hips on the ATV, despises how he describes Dele as the cute boy that Fran introduced to him. Really hates it when he tells them about how Dele held his hand in the hospital room when he was nervous. 

It's the worst really. Awful. 

Except for the way Dele can’t get enough of him, how his heart goes all funny every time Eric mentions that Dele took his breath away, how he’d just wanted to get to know him better. That he didn't even really care about the pain of the injury, he just wanted to stop the bleeding because he’d been planning on asking Dele to spend his dinner break with him. 

It still makes his eyes wet when Eric tells him that their first date, sitting in Eric’s living room in his own small property on the farm watching The Holiday while keeping an eye out for any signs of Eric having a concussion, was the best date of his life. 

Whenever Eric tells the story, Dele thinks fondly of the weird night they met, the first December filled with Eric after that night. The dinners they went to, the night they spent driving to see as many Christmas lights as possible, Eric coming to meet him in the city after work to see a Christmas film and get some gift shopping done. Even going to help Eric and his family at the farm a couple of nights. 

He’d fallen for Eric over Christmas, and been totally gone for him by new years, When Dele had bought him to his brother Harry’s annual party. He’d been so beautiful and kind to Dele’s friends, laughed along to their stories and made sure Dele had a fresh drink all night long. He even helped Harry’s girlfriend place out new snacks when they were running low. It was the first time he told the story of how they met, a small white gauze strip still on his chin as proof. 

Dele had taken his hand and leant up to kiss him at the end of the story, pressed a follow-up kiss to the skin to the left of the healing wound, whispered a soft “that’s a nice story” into the skin, Eric laughing and wrapping his arm around Dele’s waist. They’d kissed as the clock ticked into the new year, outside on the balcony with the sounds of those cheering from inside in the background, snow collecting in their hair. 

Two years later on their third Christmas Eve together, Eric tells the story again, this time kneeling on one knee with a red ring box opened in one hand. 

He tells it a little different this time, tells Dele about how bad that day had been going for him, but when he saw Dele things seemed to be finally getting better. 

How Fran had texted him while they were in the ER to say that he needed to ask Dele out because she saw how he was looking at him. He tells Dele about how he couldn’t help himself from pressing up close to Dele’s back when they were picking the tree, that he just wanted to be closer to him. 

That he felt safe when Dele held his hand in the emergency room, despite only knowing him a few hours. 

He tells it soft and sweet and that it was the best day of his whole life. He tells him in the middle of the Christmas tree yard, surrounded by the smell of pine and illuminated by fairy lights. He tells Dele he will be there no matter how many Christmas trees he drops on him in the future. 

Dele says yes with tears in his eyes, launches himself at Eric and tackles him into the snow-covered ground, tugs Eric’s scarf away from his face to plant a wet kiss to his lips, licking into his mouth as he laughs happily. Dele pulls back and presses and extra special soft kiss to the faint scar along the length of Eric’s skin, presses two more kisses before he tells him he loves him, and of course yes he will marry him.


End file.
